Home · Apogonidae · Translucent cardinalfish
Translucent cardinalfish (Cercamia cladara) — Apogonidae

Translucent cardinalfish

Cercamia cladara
Family: Apogonidae

The Translucent cardinalfish (Cercamia cladara) is a saltwater fish of the family Apogonidae that grows up to 5 cm.

Length
4.5 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
6.0–40.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Oceania: Tahiti, French Polynesia, Indonesia, Japan, New Caledonia, Philippines and others

Want the complete picture on the Translucent cardinalfish?

Get the app

Description

The translucent cardinalfish is a small cardinalfish (Apogonidae) from reef water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 5 cm and has a slender, strongly translucent, reddish body with large eyes. By day it hovers in loose schools under overhangs and in small caves on the reef; by night it snaps at small zooplankton. The male broods the eggs in his mouth. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Translucent cardinalfish?

The Translucent cardinalfish has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly red-orange.

Where does the Translucent cardinalfish live?

The Translucent cardinalfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Oceania: Tahiti, French Polynesia, Indonesia, Japan, New Caledonia, Philippines and others

How big does the Translucent cardinalfish get?

The Translucent cardinalfish grows to a maximum of about 5 cm.

Is the Translucent cardinalfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Translucent cardinalfish is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Fin

Want the complete picture on the Translucent cardinalfish?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Translucent cardinalfish is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →

All data

Identification

English name
Translucent cardinalfish sourced
Scientific name
Cercamia cladara
Family
Apogonidae
Other names
Frail cardinalfish sourced

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
4.5 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
6.0 verified
Max depth (m)
40.0 verified
Natural range
Oceania: Tahiti, French Polynesia, Indonesia, Japan, New Caledonia, Philippines and others sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Diet (detail)
Small fishes, crustaceans and invertebrates inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Cercamia

More from the family Apogonidae

Fin

Want the complete picture on the Translucent cardinalfish?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Translucent cardinalfish is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →
Is this the Translucent cardinalfish? Get the app